Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
No. 74 Utah
No. 39 Bulldogs edged 4-3 at No. 74 Utah
3/31/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
By Josh Mitchell
jomitchell@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
SALT LAKE CITY - The No. 39 Fresno State women's tennis team dropped a tough 4-3 result on the road at No. 74 Utah on Thursday at Eccles Tennis Center. The loss was the Bulldogs' fourth in the last sixth matches.
Utah (11-8) gained a 1-0 lead to start the match by winning the doubles point with victories at the No. 1 and 3 spots. It was only the fourth time this season that Fresno State (12-8) has lost the doubles point. The team has lost all four those matches.
The Utes took a 2-0 advantage after Brianna Turley started singles play with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Rana Sherif Ahmed. The Bulldogs though began to turn the momentum with three straight wins.
Sofya Malysheva grabbed a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 6 over Alexia Petrovic, before the 'Dogs claimed a pair of three-set victories. Down 4-1 in the third set, Sophie Watts took five straight points against Sarah Richter to earn a 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory at No. 2. Mayar Sherif Ahmed then topped Margo Pletcher 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 to give the Bulldogs their first lead of the day at 3-2.
Utah responded by leveling the dual match at No. 4 as Jena Chang defeated Galina Bykova 6-7, 6-2, 6-4. In the final match, Anneka Watts battled back to force a third set. Trailing 4-0, the senior rattled off five straight points before the match ended up heading into a tiebreaker. Watts though dropped the tiebreaker 7-1.
Fresno State will return to the courts tomorrow in Provo, Utah as the Bulldogs face BYU at 10 a.m. PT.
#74 Utah 4, #39 Fresno State 3
Singles competition
1. Mayar Sherif Ahmed (FS) def. Margo Pletcher (UTAH) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
2. Sophie Watts (FS) def. Sarah Richter (UTAH) 1-6, 6-1, 6-4
3. Brianna Turley (UTAH) def. Rana Sherif Ahmed (FS) 7-5, 6-1
4. Jena Cheng (UTAH) def. Galina Bykova (FS) 6-7, 6-2, 6-4
5. Taylor Calton (UTAH) def. Anneka Watts (FS) 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (7-1)
6. Sofya Malysheva (FS) def. Alexia Petrovic (UTAH) 6-2, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Margo Pletcher/Brianna Turley (UTAH) def. Mayar Sherif Ahmed/Rana Sherif Ahmed (FS) 6-3
2. Sophie Watts/Anneka Watts (FS) def. Sarah Richter/Alexia Petrovic (UTAH) 4-3
3. Taylor Calton/Luisa Da Rosa (UTAH) def. Sofya Malysheva/Olivia Noble (FS) 6-2
Match Notes:
Fresno State 12-7; National ranking #39
Utah 10-8; National ranking #74
Order of finish: Doubles (3, 1) Singles (3, 6, 2, 1, 4, 5)
Players Mentioned
